(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a paper feed mechanism for conveying sheets of paper from a paper receptacle portion to a recording portion in a recording apparatus such as a printer or a facsimile. Particularly, the present invention is concerned with a paper feed mechanism for feeding sheets of paper in a separated state one by one.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
A conventional paper feed mechanism used in a printer or the like will first be explained with reference to FIG. 12.
The paper feed mechanism 61 shown in FIG. 12 is mounted in a printer 10 and in this state it feeds sheets of paper one by one to a paper feed port 11 of the printer 10.
A paper stacker 62 in the paper feed mechanism 61 is urged upward by means of a plate spring 63 disposed on the underside of the stacker, whereby the top sheet in the stacker is pressed against a paper feed roller 64. In this state, the paper feed roller 64 is driven by a drive source (not shown), and by the rotation of the driving roller 64 the sheets of paper stacked in the paper stacker 62 are separated one by one and fed to the paper feed port 11 of the printer 10. Each sheet of paper thus fed to the paper feed port 11 is then conveyed to a recording portion 12 by the action of a paper feed roller 13 in the printer 10 and that of small rollers 14 and 15 in the printer which are in pressure contact with the paper feed roller 13. After recording in the recording portion 12, each sheet of paper is moved between a paper discharge roller 65 and a paper discharge guide 66 which is in pressure contact with the roller 65 and is then conducted into a paper discharge tray 67, by means of the paper discharge roller 65.
However, since the above conventional paper feed mechanism 61 is mounted on the printer 10 as a separate body from the printer and in this state there are performed separation and conveyance of paper, the entire apparatus becomes large-sized and thus it has been impossible to meet the recent demand for the reduction of size.